Shuttlecock



Oct. 18, 1938. c s 2,133,684

SHUTTLECOCK Filed Nov. 20, 1955 XNVENTOR ROGER L.. COLSON AT ORNEY I Patented Get. 38, 1%38 water SHUTTLECQCK Roger L. Colson, Glendale, Calif assignor to Sylvania Industrial florporation, Fredericksburg, Va... a corporation of Virginia Application November 20, 1935, Serial No. 50,727

3 Claims.

The invention relates to an improved shuttlecock adapted for use in such games as shuttlecock, badminton and the like, and to correlated improvements in the process of producing the 5 same.

The shuttlecooks now in use comprise a cork head rounded on the top and having a flat base in which are disposed a plurality of radially extending feathers. It is essential that the cork head be resistant to distortion, or cracking when struck by the battledores or bats used in play. Moreover, the feathers must be so bound in the base that they will retain their symmetrical disposition and not become loosened when struck.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a shuttlecock characterized by having means to protect the head and feathers from deformation, and a process for producing the same.

It is a specific object of the invention to provide a shuttlecock with a smooth decorative head,

and a process for producing such a shuttlecock.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a view illustrating one step in the process for producing one embodiment of the shuttlecock of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section, of the shuttlecock resulting from the process partly illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section, of one embodiment of the shuttlecock of the invention in which the article is provided with an indicia-bearing element; and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views, partly in section of as many embodiments of the article of the invention.

According to the invention, a shuttlecock having a head and direction-imparting feathers attached thereto is provided with a non-fibrous pellicle surrounding the head and preferably embracing the shafts of the feathers. Referring to the drawing, such a shuttlecock may be formed by positioning over the head I and preferably over the shafts 2, as shown in Fig. 1, a non-fibrous pellicle 3 which is in a swollen condition, and drying the pellicle to cause it to shrink tightly about the head and preferably also to embrace the shafts as shown in Fig. 2.

The non-fibrous pellicles may be in the form of a cap as shown in Fig. 2, or a band as shown in Fig. 5. The pellicles may be formed of any suitable non-fibrous material such, for example, as regenerated cellulose, cellulose derivatives, gelatin, casein, synthetic plastics and the like which are adapted to shrink upon the loss of solvent or swelling agent.

For example, a suitable cap for use in the invention may be formed by dipping a mandrel having a rounded end into a solution of viscose. Thereafter, the mandrel is inverted and the viscose coagulated and regenerated into cellulose which is washed, desulphurized, bleached or dyed in a known manner. After trimming, the cap is kept immersed in water or other suitable swelling agent until it is to be used. Alternatively, the cap may be predried and, shortly before use, immersed in water to swell the same.

A band may be formed, for example, in trimming a cap which has been formed on a mandrel, or by severing transversely a tubing formed by extruding a suitable pellicle-forming solution, such as viscose, through an annular orifice in a known manner. The band may be of the same character as the cap or it may contrast with the cap in nature of the material and/or in color, opacity, finish and other properties, to enhance the decorative effect.

The shuttlecock may be fitted with both a cap and a band and these may be applied so that the cap 3 fits only over the head I and the band 4 embraces the shafts 2 of the feathers as shown in Fig. 3, or the cap 3 and band 4 may overlap each other, for example, as shown in Fig. 4.

The cap and/or band may be provided with indicia of a decorative or informative character as desired. In a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, in which both a cap 3 and band 4 are applied to the shuttlecock, the band B only is provided with indicia 5, such as a trade-mark. In this embodiment, the band is adapted to be removed, if desired, before use.

In that embodiment shown in Fig. 5, a wide band 4' is applied to the shuttlecock in such a manner that a portion of the head I is left uncovered and a portion of the shafts 2 is embraced by the band. In this embodiment, the striking surface of the head is left uncovered so that the normal resiliency of the cork may be br'oughtinto play. However, the shuttlecock is rendered stronger and more decorative by the presence of the band thereon.

The cap and/or band may be waterproofed by impregnation and/or coating with a waterproofing composition. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cap and/or band are coated with a moistureproof lacquer comprising a lacquer base, a plasticizer and a wax, and optionally a gum or resin and a pigment. The coating assists in preserving the non-fibrous pellicle from drying out to the extent that cracking occurs, and it may be the means of providing the head with a glossy or other decorative finish.

By the present invention there has been provided an improved shuttlecock characterized by having the head, and preferably the shafts of the feathers adjacent the head, embraced by a tightly fitted pellicle of non-fibrous material. The pellicles employed are light in weight and are characterized by having'suflicient resiliency and flexibility to withstand the blows of the battledores or bats used in play and to provide, moreover, a means of strengthening and imparting to the shuttlecock a more finished and decorative appearance.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above process, and certain modifications in the article which embodies the invention may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Itv is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a shuttlecock comprising a head, direction-imparting feathers having shafts attached thereto, and a pellicle of a shrinkable non-fibrous material surrounding and shrunk onto the head and embracing the shafts of the feathers adjacent the head.

2. As an article of manufacture, a shuttlecock comprising a head, direction-imparting'feathers attached thereto, a cap of non-fibrous material enclosing the head and a band of non-fibrous material embracing and shrunk around the shafts of the feathers adjacent the head.

' 3. As an article of manufacture, a shuttlecock comprising a head, direction-imparting feathers attached thereto, and a pellicle of regenerated cellulose shrunk onto and tightly surrounding the head.

ROGER L. COLSON. 

